Evidence Official manual + owner focus-gauge question Applies to Fiber and CO2-equipped M-Series configurations Safety Output disabled for setup; controlled test coupons Updated 2026-08-21

How do I focus the fiber head?

First separate three ideas:

1. FTC calibration/stand-off tells the CNC fiber head where the sheet surface is and controls nozzle distance.
2. Fiber process focus places the focal region relative to the material for a particular cutting/engraving process.
3. CO₂ physical focus uses the supplied focusing tool/ruler and head adjustment in the manual workflow.

They are related but not interchangeable. A successful FTC calibration does not prove the process focus is correct, and a ruler dimension for the CO₂ head is not a fiber-head focus gauge.

Fiber workflow

1. Identify exact head/lens/nozzle/source and load its preserved Gweike baseline.
2. Inspect the protective window, ceramic, and nozzle; a dirty/damaged part invalidates a focus test.
3. Run FTC calibration on clean flat conductive sheet.
4. Verify stable stand-off over the intended area with emission disabled.
5. Use a known material/thickness and the focus reference/value in the matching process table.
6. If optimization is needed, run a documented focus series on scrap while holding every other variable constant.
7. Compare penetration, top/bottom kerf, dross, taper, and consistency; label each coupon.

Do not convert a software focus value into a physical millimeter distance unless the documentation for that head/software explicitly defines the conversion.

CO₂ workflow

The M-Series manual directs the operator to use the machine's built-in/supplied focusing tool for the CO₂ cutting head, and rotary CO₂ procedures refer to the focal-length ruler. Use the tool belonging to your head, loosen/adjust only the documented mechanism, secure it again, then frame and run a small test.

Can I copy or 3D-print another owner's gauge?

Only after verifying head model, lens/focal length, nozzle, reference surfaces, and the exact intended distance. A community question asked for a fiber-head gauge (focus-gauge thread), but no universal dimension is established there. Publishing a dimension without those identifiers could place the focus incorrectly or cause a collision.

Make a local labeled gauge only from a dimension confirmed for your exact hardware, then validate it against a controlled focus test. Store it with the head it belongs to.